Singapore is an island nation with a small area and small population but has an outstanding education system, inherited and developed from the long-standing British education system. Singapore places education as a key factor in the growth and development of society. As a multi-ethnic country, English is the official language in all schools and workplaces in Singapore. Singapore’s education system is one of the outstanding strengths that helps this country become a destination for many international students around the world. Let’s learn about the overview of Singapore’s education system with SOON CHENG!
Overview of Singapore’s education system
Singapore’s education system is directly managed by the country’s Ministry of Education, which directly operates public schools that receive financial support from the government, and also has a consulting and management role in private schools in Singapore.
Singapore’s education system is an education system that says no to rankings. It was Singapore’s minister of education who said: “Learning is not a race”. This is a commendable positive change in the lion island nation’s education system.
Education in Singapore, from primary school to secondary school, to public universities, is financially subsidized by the state. All public, private and international schools in Singapore must be registered with the Ministry of Education and Training. English is the first official language in Singapore and is the language taught in public schools, except for foreign language or mother tongue subjects.
Some achievements have been achieved
- Singapore National University of the lion island nation ranks 11th among the best universities in the world (According to QS 2023 rankings)
- Singapore is one of the leading education systems in Asia.
- Many universities in Singapore were voted as having the best students in the world, specifically Nanyang University of Management.
Advantages – Disadvantages of the Singapore education system
These decisive advantages have made Singapore’s education system top in Asia.
- Training schools in Singapore provide quality education and a degree system that is recognized worldwide and have the opportunity to easily transfer or transfer to another educational background.
- Singapore’s education system is increasingly built to be more flexible and diverse in its majors, to provide students with more choices that suit their interests and learning methods.
- The close relationship between educational institutions and businesses creates internship and work opportunities for students during training and after graduation.
- Focus on arousing and developing students’ hidden talents, helping each student develop and be more confident in their abilities.
- Unique educational method: Teaching focuses on free thinking, creativity and personality training to have the right attitude, discover and solve problems, and be willing to overcome difficulties to achieve success. success.
- Giving students the opportunity to earn degrees from foreign universities while studying in Singapore at a more economical cost.
Limitations of Singapore’s education system:
- The English taught is not standard English. However, English in Singapore is still considered one of the best in Asia.
- Tuition fees for international students in Asia are relatively high.
Although there are still certain disadvantages, it is not too difficult a problem. There are still some regulations on scholarships for international students even up to 100%.
Characteristics of each Singapore education hierarchy
Singapore’s education system is diverse, divided into many different levels.
| Forms of training | Training time |
| Kindergarten | 3 years |
| Primary | 6 years |
| Secondary Education | 4-5 years |
| Pre-university education | 2-3 years |
| College/University | 3 – 4 years |
| Postgraduate education | 1 – 3 years |
Kindergarten education in Singapore
- Training period: 3 years. For children from 3 to 6 years old.
- Curriculum: Training goals help children develop and become independent individuals with good critical thinking and creative ability.
- The kindergarten system in Singapore is organized and managed by business and social organizations, officially registered with the Ministry of Education. For child care centers, it is necessary to be licensed by the Ministry of Community Development and Sports to operate.
Primary education
- Training duration: 6 years (4 years of basic education from grades 1 – 4 and 2 years of study program for grades 5 – 6)
- Program: Foundation in English, native language and other cultural subjects. Students are divided into classes according to ability. All students must take the elementary school completion exam at the end of grade 6. From 2019 onwards, exams for grade 1 and 2 students will be abolished.
Secondary education
- Training time: 4 – 5 years. Including 2 systems: Special system, intensive system or normal system.
- The teaching program includes English, Math, native languages, science and humanities. In the third year, students can choose additional subjects.
High school/university preparatory
After passing the GCE ‘O’ exam issued by the Singapore Ministry of Education and Cambridge University, students can apply to study at High School under a 2-year university preparatory program or enroll at a school focused on a 3-year university preparatory program. High schools and pre-university schools both prepare students for university entrance exams and build a foundation for undergraduate study. At the end of the university preparatory year, students will sit for the GCE ‘A’ Diploma. Foreign students can enroll in high schools and university preparatory schools, but it depends on the number of seats available for international students at each school.
- Study time: 2 – 3 years
- Compulsory study program includes advanced English and native language.
Polytechnics Colleges
Colleges were established in Singapore to equip students with practical studies at the college level. There are currently 5 Colleges in Singapore:
- Nanyang College
- Ngee Ann College
- Republican College
- Singapore College
- Temasek College
Colleges offer a variety of courses. College graduates are often sought after by employers because they can immediately integrate into the working environment thanks to being equipped with practical skills and experience related to the economy. new reality that you are learning.
Singapore’s higher education system
Singapore’s Universities include a system of public schools, campuses of world-renowned institutions and private schools. Every year, universities in Singapore attract many international students to study and research.
Training time:
- Bachelor: 3 years
- Master: 1.5 years
- Doctorate: 3 years
Singapore’s higher education program includes many levels including bachelor’s degrees and certificates. Degrees at Singapore universities are recognized worldwide.
Public universities
Singapore has 3 prestigious public universities below:
- National University of Singapore (NUS)
- Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
- Singapore Management University (SMU)
These universities have trained graduates who are famous in the world. If you have good academic performance, this is also the place to help you win many scholarships.
International universities in Singapore
Besides national universities in the country, in Singapore, there are also international universities headquartered such as: James Cook University Singapore, Curtin University Singapore,… International universities have contributed to improving the level and scope of higher education in Singapore.
Private academies
In Singapore, there are more than 300 different private schools, offering many certificate courses, college degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and postgraduate degrees through partnerships with famous schools around the world from the US, UK, Australia, etc. These are the schools that most Vietnamese international students study at the present time. The training programs at these schools are very diverse. However, to choose a quality program, you should study at schools with Edutrust certification for 4 years or more. Because only schools with Edutrust certification have the capacity to grant degrees to international students.
Diagram of Singapore education system
Compare the education systems of Vietnam and Singapore
The education systems of Singapore and Vietnam have many differences. However, there are some noticeable points:
- Singapore has a university preparatory level while Vietnam does not.
- Singapore doesn’t rank its competitive scores in learning, Vietnam does.
- Official language of teaching process: From elementary school, students in Singapore are taught entirely in standard English (no Singlish is used) and up to now, most Singapore residents are able to communicate in English while Vietnam teaches in the Vietnamese language.
- Educational method: In addition to imparting knowledge about core subjects such as Math, English…, schools in Singapore also focus on developing students’ soft skills and artistic talents. After-school extracurricular activities are also encouraged to promote comprehensive development, while eliminating unnecessary subjects. Contrary to this, most students in Vietnam often learn a lot through books.
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